1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus and an image forming method for reading an image of an original, subjecting the read image to predetermined image processing, and outputting a print on which the image is reproduced as well as recording the image data of the image on a recording medium.
2. Description of the Related Art
Most of the images recorded on photographic films such as negative films and reversal films (which are hereinafter referred to as xe2x80x9cfilmsxe2x80x9d) are conventionally printed onto light-sensitive materials (photographic papers) by a technique generally called xe2x80x9cdirect exposurexe2x80x9d in which an image on a film is projected onto the light-sensitive material for areal exposure.
A printer that adopts digital exposure has recently been commercialized. In this xe2x80x9cdigital photoprinterxe2x80x9d, an image recorded on a film is read photoelectronically and converted into digital signals, which are subjected to various kinds of image processing to produce recording image data; a light-sensitive material is exposed by scanning with recording light modulated in accordance with the image data, thereby recording a (latent) image to produce a (finished) print therefrom.
The digital photoprinter is composed of the following basic components; a scanner (image reading apparatus) which makes reading light incident on a film and reads the light projected therefrom, thereby photoelectronically reading the image recorded on the film; an image processing apparatus which performs predetermined processing to the image data read with the scanner and to the image data supplied from a digital camera and the like to obtain image data for recording the image (exposing conditions); a printer (image recording apparatus) which scan exposes a light-sensitive material with, for example, a light beam in accordance with the image data supplied from the image processing apparatus and records a latent image; and a processor (developing apparatus) which subjects the light-sensitive material exposed by the printer to development processing and produces a (finished) print on which the image is reproduced.
According to this digital photoprinter, since an image can be appropriately processed by processing image data, it is preferably subjected to gradation adjustment, color balance adjustment, color/density adjustment, and the like. Accordingly, a print of high quality that cannot be obtained by conventional direct exposure can be obtained.
Further, since an image is handled as digital image data, not only an image recorded on a film but also an image recorded by a digital camera and the like and an image obtained through a communication network such as the Internet and the like can be outputted as a print.
Further, since an image is handled as digital image data, not only the image can be outputted as a photographic print but also image data (image file) of the image reproduced on the photographic print can be outputted to various types of recording media such as a CD-R, an MO (magneto-optical recording medium) and the like. Thus, it is possible to provide both of the photographic print and the image file (recording medium on which the image file is recorded) in accordance with a request of a customer (person who requests to produce a print).
The applicant has disclosed image processing apparatuses (image recording apparatuses) capable of outputting both of the photographic print and the image file as described above in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publications Nos. 10-117262, 11-234514, and so on. According to the apparatuses disclosed in these publications, it is possible to output both of the photographic print and the image file and to present them to a customer. Further, according to a digital photoprinter using these apparatuses, it is possible to produce extra prints even if a negative film and the like used as an original are not available because not only an image can be outputted as a print but also the image data of the image can be recorded and stored in a recording medium such as a floppy disk and the like.
Even if an original film is not available when a reprint of an image is requested, conventional apparatuses are capable of producing the reprint from an image file by storing the image data of the image as the image file which enables the request for reprinting without the original film, while at the same time reading the original to produce a print. However, since it is not so easy to designate an image file corresponding to an image the reprint of which is requested, there has been desired a simpler method of designating an image file when a reprint is requested.
An object of the present invention, which was made in view of the above conventional problems, is to provide an image forming apparatus and an image forming method capable of easily designating a corresponding image file when a reprint is requested and capable of easily outputting the reprint from the image file without the need of an original film.
In order to attain the object described above, the first aspect of the present invention provides an image forming apparatus comprising: a reading device for photoelectrically reading an image of an original to obtain digital image data; an image processor for subjecting the digital image data to predetermined image processing to obtain processed image data; a printer for outputting a print according to the processed image data; and an image recording device for outputting the image processed data to an image file; wherein both of outputting the print with the printer and outputting the image file with the image recording device; further comprising: an original identifying information input device for inputting information for identifying the original before the original is read; and a data base for storing the inputted original identifying information in relation to the image file.
Preferably, the original identifying information input device is a bar code reader.
Preferably, the original identifying information input device is the reading device for photoelectrically reading the original, and an identifier having a marker attached thereto, which shows information for identifying the original and can be photoelectrically read, is disposed to an extreme end of the original, and the marker is read by the reading device at the same time the image of the original is read.
Preferably, the original identifying information input device is the reading device for photoelectrically reading the original and further comprises a unit for magnetically reading information, an identifier having a marker attached thereto, which shows information for identifying the original and can be magnetically read, is disposed to an extreme end of the original, and the marker is read by the reading device at the same time the image of the original is read.
Preferably, the original identifying information input device is a device through which an operator inputs information for identifying the original as a character string.
Preferably, the data base stores information for identifying the image forming apparatus or the laboratory where the image forming apparatus is installed together with the image file and the information for identifying the original.
It is preferable that the image forming apparatus further comprises: a print device for back printing the information for identifying the original on the print.
It is also preferable that the image forming apparatus further comprises: a print device for printing the information for identifying the original on the index print.
In order to attain the object described above, the second aspect of the present invention provides an image forming method comprising the steps of: subjecting image data to predetermined image processing to obtain processed image data; and executing both of outputting a print according to the processed image data and outputting the processed image data to an image file; further comprising the steps of: creating information for identifying an original before an image of the original is read to input the image data and storing the original identifying information in a data base in relation to the image file; reading out, when a reprint is requested by designating the original identifying information, predetermined processed image data from the image file of the data base based on the original identifying information; and outputting the print according to the predetermined processed image data.